Saint Seiya Ω: Dawn of End
by Tales of Gray Wolf
Summary: July 6 update "Race to Naxos". A Ω Meiō Shinwa (Ω冥王神話) story taking place after Omega's 2nd Season. Koga and Eden return as Saints to avert the revival of the Underworld and a Holy War, a plan devised by a lamenting Goddess who is targeting the Saints out of revenge and to obtain a key.
1. Nightmare

**I. Open your eyes to a nightmare**

For many years, hundreds of years, back even during the Age of Myth, Man clad in armor bearing the eighty-eight constellations appear. Their fists were fast as sound and light, crushed stone and steel, and their kicks tore the sky. While these men carry a legend common from an epic, there was something else that they had: hope in their hearts. Hope. Living among the ugliness of human life, and to affront evil, Man's emotions elevate and their bodies explode with the power of the stars – Cosmos!

It was these characters who protected the beloved Earth: The Saints! Since the time of Saori Kido's recognition as the Goddess Athena, many entities of darkness have affronted Earth,and met their fate.

There was the God of War who nearly blanketed life with darkness in twelve hours – Mars. The dastardly God of Darkness who tried to consume light in Mars's stead – Abzu; the marionette Goddess who stood on the polar side of her sibling – Pallas; then, the God who, like the arms of a clock, waited patiently for his turn in rule – Saturn.

Threats continue to creep behind peace, waiting to spring out unnoticed.

"Hey Eden, look at this!" Many months passed since the withdrawal of Saturn. Kouga was a boy who didn't have family, and his friends were few in number. The only friends he made embraced one another as comrade in arms. It was the fate of a Saint, learning only the hardships of facing war. Outside of that was a refreshing change.

Kouga's travels brought him to a crowed town in Greece. He felt like a weight was lifted off from him, and a childish energy took over his body. He could now use his hands differently; they were hardened from fighting, and it lightened his heart to just open a magazine.

"Eden!" The lively red-haired boy bolted up to his friend and pushed the magazine up to his face.

"What is it?" Eden spoke dryly. It was his characteristic to maintain a cool, contemplative bearing. From an elite upbringing, Eden strove to become strong and couldn't shake off the habit of being a detached loner. Aiding Kouga many times in the past, it still took him a long time to understand how to connect with others, and to find significance in the world. He remained the quiet type in opposition to the emotive Kouga.

"Let's go the museum!" Koga suggested with a smile. Eden hummed as he looked into the magazine, seeing photos of nude statues in twisted poses, carrying javelins and discus. Some figures were dressed in rippling ankle-length chitons; there were also drawings of pottery. Eden refrained from asking Kouga about a reason, his eyes looking across tiny inked descriptions about the statues.

"Kings, Gods, and athletes." Eden muttered.

"Yeah!" Kouga looked into the magazine. "It's the museum of _Thrýlos_, and it has artifacts from long ago there. That can be our next destination."

Kouga's travels had been fruitful after the Pallas-Saturn war. The more days passed, the more he wanted to engage into a life of a boy, into his natural curiosities that were mired by fighting as a Saint. He could see that the world, in which Saori Kido protected, had many things that were important to one of million lives. There was more to Earth. He could see what the Gods he had faced abhorred, and that each "thing" had years of backstory.

Eden didn't smile, and his serious face deepened. "To think that mankind has been through much bloodshed to make these statues."

"Oh come on!" Kouga quickly swung his arm over Eden's neck and glowered. He would not accept any of his former rival's gloominess.

"Let's go the museum!"

"Alright, Kouga." Eden complied in his ever-so calm manner. It took, however, the luxury of peace to get him to finally address the Pegasus Saint by his true name; to finally make him realize that they were friends. The two boys padded through the crowd. The villagers moved their own way, while the boys reached a side street. Kouga had his face in the magazine.

"_Ah—_!" Suddenly, Kouga lost the light of day. He heard Eden call his name, and he was yanked into the darkness of the alley. Eden sprinted after his comrade, but he didn't have to go far. He stopped behind the red-haired boy, bracing himself.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing?!" Kouga raised a fist. In front of him was was a guy no less than suspicious. The alley enclosed with shadow blanketed the stranger's features. The mystery deepened further from the thick hooded mantle that the stranger wore.

"It's been a while, Orion, Pegasus." The stranger said in a grave, masculine voice. Hearing the familiar title connected to his Cloth, Kouga felt an agitating squeeze in his stomach. He lowered his fist.

"Who are you?" Kouga asked. The mantle's hood was pulled down, revealing a man with a rugged face and bright purple hair. Seemingly older than Kouga and Eden with his goatee, he had a wild look to him; sharp, narrowed eyes that bore down on prey before a killing strike stared at Kouga. Kouga felt like he was facing an enemy.

"I am one of the Silver Saints of Athena, Hound Miguel," The Saint said with a jarring smile.

Despite Miguel's looks, both Kouga and Eden sighed in relief. They both were acquainted with the Silver Saint before. Kouga had fought Miguel on one occasion as an enemy, and even though they came together as allies and fought against Pallas's soldiers, the Hound's bellicose looks instantly made the notion of him being a soldier of justice waver.

"How did you find us?!" Kouga asked in surprise; frankly, he wanted to know why the Silver Saint was here, and doubted it was out of coincidence.

"My nose," Miguel let out a little laugh and pointed to his head. Mounted on it was a helmet shaped like a dog's head; it was a part of his Cloth representing _Canes Venatici_, latin for the Hunting Dog.

"Listen kids, sorry to disturb your fun, but you're needed back."

Kouga's heart shook hearing those words. Eden didn't say anything; he immediately felt the substance of the Silver Saint's words and knew what he meant. Kouga wanted to be in disbelief. He wanted to know if something happened, or was going to happen, and more importantly: did he have to return to the duty of a Saint? He stared at Miguel breathless, and the Hound Saint only needed to say a few words.

"Lady Athena wants you."

_Miss Saori_, the words in his head cleansed Kouga's anxiety, or rather it pulled him with chains of loyalty. The idea of seeing Saori warmed him. He hasn't seen her in a long time after all, his adoptive guardian, whom he'd do anything for. Without hassle, Kouga and Eden followed the Hound Saint out of town. Kouga tucked the magazine into his shoulder sack.

Outside the boundaries of the town were two others. Miguel was accompanied by Bayer, the short, bespectacled Silver Saint representing Boötes the herdsman, and Menkar, the burly Silver Saint representing _Cetus_, the whale. Both of them wore mantles as well.

"Got 'em," Miguel said to his companions, slapping a hand on Menkar's shoulder, "and off to the Sanctuary we go."

"And here I thought I had to rein you in, Pegasus." Bayer said with a wide grin, eyeing Kouga. He then gave a chattering laugh that only reminded Kouga of the days of Mars's war when the Bronze Saints were branded as traitors. Bayer opened his mantle, revealing the ribbon-like strands on his arms. They glow a fiery red; it was only a tease and the Saints walked as a close group without trouble. Eden leaned towards Kouga's ear and whispered.

"They're an uncouth bunch," he said, nodding his head, "but Lady Athena highly acknowledges them." Kouga easily believed it. He felt like he was in the right hands, but curiosity troubled him.

"Why were you guys looking for us?" Kouga asked. In his mind, he also wondered why they were dressed in cloaks. Cloths were indeed suspicious; so was carrying Pandora Boxes to store Cloths when not in use. The Cloths were donned only for training or battle, but after observing Miguel and Bayer closer, he could tell that the Silver Saints were armed for battle.

"It's because something is up, kid." Miguel was as discreet as his cloak. Bayer only nodded, uttering a hum of agreement.

"But surely, no one wants to bother the God-slaying Pegasus, right?" Menkar said with a laugh. "Aren't you lucky?"

Grimacing, Kouga felt disgust from the words. The title of "God Slayer" left an impression in him, reminding him of his painful journey as a new Saint, and the existence of the Dark Cosmos that plagued him and nearly had his friends killed. It agitated him; the Silver Saints' ambiguity that is, incorporating it with some cheery mood, the same kind of cheeriness that Kouga left behind in town when he wanted to visit the museum. All the while, he felt this undercurrent of worry. He definitely sensed that he had to battle again. The tension grew as he headed towards the Sanctuary.

Kouga and Eden's travel towards the Sanctuary went by without problems. Eventually, they reached the boundaries beyond Athens, and the outer premises of the Sanctuary. Kouga remembered the ruined stone temples at the foot of the mountain roads he descended. Greek ruins stood as shadows of battles long past and left an impression of warriors in long-scale combat. An orchestra was filled with Saints and soldiers in training. Kouga, Eden, and the Silver Saints reached the base of the Twelve Zodiac Temples. As they climbed the stairs, the wounds of memory returned.

The first house was vacant. Its guardian was titled the Gold Saint of Regeneration and Craft. During the Invasion of Pallasbelda, Aries Kiki died against Hyperion, one of the commanders of Pallas. He did so to protect his friends from the fatal backlash of Athena Exclamation, the Saints' strongest attack.

_Mr. Kiki_, Kouga thought of the Aries Saint and what he had done for him and everyone else. The sorrowful reminder told him that such events would repeat themselves, and it felt that it would be soon. Most of the other Temples ahead were also empty; Kouga and Eden couldn't help but wonder where Seiya, Integra, and Fudou were.

"Kouga!" A voice called above the Saints' heads. Everyone looked up as they approached the Pope Chamber. Kouga's worry was set aside, and he broke into a wide smile.

"Miss Shaina!" He rushed up the stairs; it was another face he hasn't seen in a long time. A face covered by a stoic mask comparable to the faces of the Greek statues in Koga's magazine. The mask was a common trait among Female Saints to keep them steady on a warrior path, and to avoid bewitching both enemy and ally. Shaina, the Silver Saint with the snake bearing constellation of Ophiuchus, was a long time friend of Seiya and Kouga. She was also Kouga's master.

"Welcome back," said Shaina.

"What's up?"

"Speak with Athena about it."

Kouga frowned at his tutor's words. Shaina's dignified character, side by side with how blunt she was, sent a little crack into Kouga's barrier of intimacy. Even thoough he wanted to know why he had to return, for once he did not want to greet familiar friends beside the notions of "war" and "combat", but only as Kouga. Shaina told the Saints that Athena was at her temple and led them pass the Pope Chamber. They escalated the stairs behind the Goddess temple, and reaching there, they saw Athena in front of her colossal statue.

"Miss Saori!" Kouga whisked himself in front of Eden and the others, looking ahead. Next to Athena was Sagittarius Seiya, who looked upset.

Shaina gasped in surprise. In front of the Goddess and the Gold Saint was another woman. Having her back turned to the Saints, the stranger looked over her shoulder.

"The destroyers of law have come." Her voice was a slow bass, and her choice of words was careful. Her waist-length hair shined like winter snow. With her grace, her presence felt overbearing. Kouga's lip tightened; his tendency to burst out in haste was bound by one look from the woman's piercing green eyes.

_Who is that_? Kouga took a few slow extra steps. He was curious, but didn't reach far. The woman's forehead was highlighted by a viny pattern, and Kouga had a feeling he was about to approach someone out of league with him. Eden stepped next to his friend. His eyes narrowed.

"That Cosmos," he said, "I felt it before." Kouga looked at Eden, surprised. He had a funny feeling in his gut when he saw the woman, but didn't think too deeply of it.

"Kouga, Eden, you're here," Athena's voice was soothing as usual; it was not hidden that she longed to see her Saints and "adoptive son". Despite the inexplicable tension, she gave out a gentle smile.

"I am glad. I'm glad that you're safe." Now Kouga, hearing relief from Athena, definitely knew there was something wrong.

"Miss Saori! What's the matter? Who is that woman?!" Kouga finally asked. Athena's face turned melancholy.

"That must be our malefactor," said Shaina. She advanced ahead of Kouga and Eden, the other Silver Saints following her. Her stride was confident.

"There have been reports of Saints being attacked," she said, "when Athena sent us to investigate a new presence during the Winter equinox. Some didn't return." Shaina's words confirmed to Kouga, to his dismay, that there was a new conflict for the Saints.

"I was attacked as well. When I was, among the fighting, I thought I saw a strange shadow, or maybe an illusion of a woman with long white hair. _You_ fit the description!" Twitching her hand, an electric current flicked between Shaina's sharp nails. Her intent was towards the mysterious woman. She then halted as she felt a touch.

"Hey, don't worry Shaina," Hound Miguel said, having placed a hand on Shaina's shoulder, "we'll handle this!" The Hound Saint's grinned widely. A bellicose guy was someone of his word, and he moved right in front of Shaina, followed by Bayer.

"Here's the reins!" Bootes Bayer raised an arm and the strands across his wrist writhed around Miguel's own wrist. Fire streaked across the ribbons, setting it ablaze.

The white-haired woman only let out a humph. "This only makes things a lot easier for me," she said.

"Menkar, Bayer, let's charge!" Miguel ordered with lively confidence.

"Be careful guys," Shaina said.

The woman turned to fully face the Saints. She was not fazed at the slightest.

"Besides, I do need the key." Coming from her dry, fearless voice made her words ominous.

"And the key's life," she continued, "needs to be empty first." After her words, there was a soft sound, the cracking of stone or metal. Everything was still; only the wind blew.

"_Guo!_" A hoarse gurgle from a voice.

"S-Sh…" Koga's words were stuck. He widened his eyes; Eden had the same expression, completely shocked. Miguel's grin did not wane, as his fist engulfed in flame slipped through the cuirass of Shaina.

"_Uooooo_!" Collecting his breath, Menkar lunged behind Shaina and fastened her with both of his heavy arms.

"Kaitos Spouting Bomber! _Ha!_" With that one cry, Menkar heaved her and the Ophiuchus Saint was propelled fast into the air. Shaina grunted loud, surprised by the cosmic force that suddenly shot through her back. Her gut then reversed; at the same amount of force and speed, she was dropping. A whistling sound of her falling cut the air.

"Shaina!" Seiya cried out, and lunged towards the Silver Saints. He soared past the unknown woman, and suddenly his body spiraled into the other direction.

"_Guah_!" Seiya struck a column next to Athena's statue.

"Don't interfere, Sagittarius Seiya, or should I say Pegasus Seiya?" The woman said calmly, her black mantle rippling from the gust she felt from Seiya passing her.

Shaina's body crashed hard into the stone ground, sending up dust and the noise of pounds of marble being destroyed in an instant.

Menkar grinned, and then laughed. "Heh heh, Shaina how does it feel being crushed by one-hundred and eighty tons of gravitational pull?" The Whale Saint crossed his arms, looking smug. When the smoke cleared, Shaina was seen spread-eagled in a crater.

The white-haired woman closed her eyes and softly uttered, "Good."

"What do you three think you're doing?!" Eden sprung forward, and threw a punch at Whale Menkar. He was without his Cloth, but that didn't hinder his resolve as a Saint. A companion was harmed, and Athena was betrayed right in front of her eyes. Menkar turned and grabbed Eden's fist.

"What?!" Eden observed Menkar's cloth underneath the mantle. His silver Cloth sparkled, and was warped into a pitch black hue.

Kouga felt his mouth trembling. He lost feeling in his legs and his knees dropped to the ground. He couldn't move, and his eyes were fixed on the crater. The body in the crater was motionless, and it shook Kouga's hope. He hoped to avoid the situation, and hoped that everything would turn out for the better, but it all seemed unlikely. The sight of it all sent a tremor inside his chest, and his eyes became welled with heavy tears.

Unable to contain his emotions, Pegasus Kouga, with a face expressing fear, let out a scream of anguish. "MISS SHAINAAAAAAAA!"


	2. Dark Intentions, Dark Cloths

**Dark Intentions, Dark Cloths**

"Their Cloths!" Eden pulled away his fist, stopped against Whale's Menkar's hand like an impregnable wall. He backpedaled and squinted at the three Silver Saints. Bootes Bayer, Whale Menkar, and Hound Miguel cackled like mad men in a bar, and shrugged off their mantles.

Their armors luster like chromium, but a color like the night's sky during a new moon cast its color upon the Silver Saints. Eden's eyes widened, and whether it was his blood, as the son of a God, or something else, he didn't have an inkling of a doubt on what he must do.

"Whale, Bootes, Hound." While a calm spectator, Athena felt dread.

Menkar's bulked arm flew in Orion's direction. A Saint's fist did not confuse an enemy, and the force of the Whale intended to kill. A radiant glow flashed between Eden and Menkar, a wave of pressure rippling out like an explosion.

"_Tonitruī__ Saltan_!" Eden uttered the words to summon his constellation's technique. Menker groaned, his fist grazing off an orb sizzling of electric energy. The orb burst, flinging the Silver Saint back. Whale slid on his heels and straightened his posture, and his arms crossing expressed that even Orion's thunder was futile.

"Nothing hunts against a whale." Menkar said with a confident grin. Eden scowled and crooked his body into a fighting posture. A violet aura brimmed around him, his heart calling the Cosmos. A thunderous roar echoed shortly afterward and without a single gesture, a Pandora Box appeared. It split apart, and a white Cloth with violet highlights wrapped around Eden.

"Menkar," Eden spoke smoothly, the Cosmos around him splitting from his body, forming in a ring. A ring of orbs shining with lightning energy; Eden stared at Whale Menkar with a stinging gleam that confronted a foe.

"You will pay for what you just did." Along with the gleam, Eden, a Bronze Saint, spoke with a certainty of victory. The orbs trembled violently, and with a swing of Eden's arms, the orbs stretch out into bolts of lightning, wrapping into a lancing beam. The sight of it belied the coolness of Orion Eden.

"_Tonitruī, __Fera Caelos_!"

"Grand Fang!" A shadow suddenly bounded over Menkar, digging a foot into the ground. A large clump of marble suddenly rose above ground and took Eden's _Fara Caelos_, scattering a mist of debris. An explosion like of heavy artillery fire landing inside of a hectic battlefield resounded above Athena's Temple.

"I should expect a God's son to be strong, but you don't underestimate us Silver Saints!" A wide smile splitting his face, Hound Miguel emerged from the debris cover, eyes surging with a belligerent desire.

"I ain't scared of you God kid, not when I've seen death with my very own eyes!" The Hound closed his hand around Eden's throat, and Orion's feet left the ground. His body arched overhead from one single heave, and he was launched midair. Eden sprung around, and was met by Miguel's flurry of punches.

The white-haired woman observed the actions of Eden and Miguel for only a short while, her eyes falling back to Whale and Bootes.

"Menkar, Bayer, retrieve the Ophiuchus Saint at once. Bring her." Her words were heavy with an exalting quality, and the two Silver Saints lifted a cry of compliance, lacking any deception in loyalty. Why?!

Menkar and Bayer crouched down next to Shaina's motionless body. The Whale Saint scooped her, and he next heard the faint sound of sprinting feet. A punch crashed into Menkar's face.

"You bastards!" It was none other than Kouga. A silver light swelled from his body like a beating heart, and the force from his fist made Menkar's arms taut. Shaina was left alone for now. Their Cosmos flaring, Kouga and Menkar entered a grapple. It could be seen from a distance that the Cosmos of Pegasus blended with the Black Cloths of the Silver Saints like a monochromatic painting

"Why did you do that to Shaina?!" Kouga was shorter in stature, but he looked up at Menkar with a brazen fury that that did not discriminate hierarchy. It suited the one who faced and wounded Gods in every Saint generation; even Seiya faced virtually any opponents, including his fellow Gold Saints. Menkar's feet drifted back from the lithe Kouga pushing him, and away from Shaina's body.

"Not so fast, Pegasus!" Bootes flung his three reigns, wrapping them around Kouga's waist and neck. He strained as he pulled. The Pegasus Saint would not budge.

"Come, Pegasus!" Kouga cried out. Another Pandora Box, pristine like the Cosmos covering Kouga, materialized and opened to reveal a metallic-looking model of a winged horse. The horse broke apart and donned over Kouga; his Cloth sprouted feathery wings at the back. Bayer felt a strength shuddering him, and his feet began to slide against the ground as Kouga pushed Menkar.

"No Bronze is a match for us!" Bayer yanked at his crimson reigns, and they snapped. A passing electric current slashed them in half. Orion Eden, while in his bout with Miguel on the ground, found an opening and sent his Cosmos from his finger to aid Kouga. That sacrificed some attention on Miguel, and the Hound Saint, swift as a rodent, sent a kick in Orion's gut. Eden's pupils dilated, and Miguel used the same foot to slam the ground again.

"Grand Fang!"

"_Ugh_!" A chunk of marble propelled Eden into a pillar.

"Eden!" Kouga pulled away from Menkar's hands. He no longer felt Bayer's reigns tugging him, and his arms began to drift in a wavy motion.

"Rise, Cosmos! Pegasus _Ryuseiken_!" The Pegasus Saint threw a punch and unleashed his passion in a form of a cosmic flurry. Menkar was blinded by the speed of bright meteors rushing towards him, and they land on him, jerking his bulky body. It was enough to only make him withdraw to the white-haired woman; she had beckoned them to her side.

"The new Pegasus serving Athena," she said. At her far peripheral, she saw the Gold Saint Sagittarius Seiya on his knees at a distance, and could only think with rancor at how the boundless indiscretion of Pegasus continued to thrive.

"You lost your friend, now lose your Goddess. Miguel, Bayer, Menkar!"

"Yes!" At the woman's command, the three Silver Saints in black spun around and made a beeline for their former Goddess.

"Athena! Prepare to die!" They said in unison.

"Miss Saori!" Seiya rushed over to the Silver Saints, and much faster than any feet came a rain of gold upon Bayer, Menkar, and Miguel.


	3. Resist, Pegasus

**Pegasus's Resistance**

The Goddess Athena stood rigid, perhaps from fear or from a strong level of conviction one needed to face fate.

A voice rose, an illusion of a constellation enclosing Athena and her attackers.

"Atomic Thunderbolt!" Between the black-stained Silver Saints and the goddess was a golden flash. Just like a lightning bolt, one could only blink and it was gone, followed by a roar from the atmosphere. Within a trained eye, or the perception of the divine, threads of light dappled the area. Whale Menkar, Bootes Bayer, and Hound Miguel were pummeled across the air. A flurry of golden bullets rain down on the Silvers, striking them from all sides like furious fists. The light speed fist of a Gold Saint left the treacherous Silver Saints writhing on the ground.

It had to be death for them next; but in the next moment, the Silver Saints arose stubbornly, chortles slipping from them as they lurched back onto their feet. Their faces were dark.

"That should've stopped them," said Sagittarius Seiya, "and their Cloths – their Cloths reflect the Underworld, but how can that be?"

After the array of Cosmos had calmed, Seiya lowered his fist and locked his eyes on the brilliant white-haired woman, and she answered back with her own verdant gaze filled with an imperious energy. Sagittarius's expression did not falter; his nerves always stood against a difficult situation.

"You are right Golden Pegasus," The rancor unveiled itself, filling the woman's words as she spoke. "Those are Surplice. I had _your_ brothers killed."

The woman's reply elicited a shocking impression from Seiya.

"And I will," she continued, "keep doing so – as punishment."

"Surplice?!" Seiya retorted. He wanted to question the woman, but his mind blanked from a wave of agitation that he felt. The woman showed a smile, breaking her frigid countenance, and it conveyed a depth of wickedness that made everyone present at Athena's temple anxious.

"Golden Pegasus, Sagittarius Seiya, life and death are in balance of each other. This should not come off as surprising from _his_ sister."

"That's—" Suddenly, Seiya clutched his chest and doubled over. A pain swelled inside him instantly, while at the same time his mind evoked a series of images. Ivory temples encompassing a garden layered by paperwhites, changing into a cascade of red that splashed over the heavenly image; the blood trickled from a large Greek water jar; Seiya saw a head – the head of a woman with long violet hair; the onyx glint from a bladed weapon. Seiya grabbed his head, groaning.

"Seiya?!" Kouga called to him in concern. "What's wrong?!"

"How does it feel Seiya? Do you feel the despondency of losing someone close to you? Or mayhap you are remembering something? Then understand, understand your crime and Athena's. For ridding the Underworld, the path to death will not be stabilized. But that is not why I do this, least not entirely. This is not why I personally feel pain."

It was a monologue of guilt often preached from God to mortal when the latter committed the sin of defying the vessels of the Mythological Age.

The woman slowly paced towards Seiya, continuing her talk. "While I may make nature fulfilling and prosperous, even I have, in this side of the world, the curse of being a forlorn mother. I already told you: Athena's Saints are criminals and deserve be executed. They imbalance the world more than enough, and you are the _most_ destructive criminal of them all Seiya!" Her voice shook, narrowly holding back passion.

"That gives you no right to kill them!" A young voice rose in protest, and the woman seized in her tracks. She turned to see the defiant eyes of Kouga. It was to be expected from Athena's guardian. Eden was back on his feet and stood by Kouga's side.

"And not only did you kill Menkar, Miguel, and Bayer, you attacked Miss Shaina as well! Why would you call us criminals?" Kouga was brash as usual, and he believed what Shaina had said, ready to charge the white-haired woman. One look at his instructor's motionless body made him tremble with anger. He held back thoughts about the worse.

"What's with the racket up here?" called the gruff voice of a man. Ascending the stairs from the temple was a tall individual with a dark, heavy cassock. Gold highlighted the cassock at the collar, moving down the sleeves; a gold helmet adorned with wings, a pair of rosaries around the neck, it was the vestige of a true holy character.

"The one who holds the will of the Goddess, The Pope of the Sanctuary." The woman understood immediately.

"Heh, Hound Hollow!" Without warning or instruction, Miguel leapt high into the air. He stretched out his leg in a diving kick towards the Pope's face.

Precisely, his foot connected with the Pope's raised finger, and the Hound Saint grimaced. He heard a sound like a snapped twig.

"_Uwaaaa_!" Miguel crumpled to the ground, curling into a fetal position. He tightly grabbed his heel; the Silver Saint looked like a pathetic broken man.

"I think I broke your calcaneus, didn't I?" The Pope said, bending his fingers. The bones in his knuckles crack sharply. His face, or rather his eyes were shrouded in an enigmatic shade, but his gaze could never be averted. He looked at the woman.

"I believe there's a phrase that describes this very well: 'Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned?' am I right?. I know where this is going. Are you up for a fight, Goddess of Harvest?"


	4. Declaration of War

**Declaration of War**

"Goddess of Harvest?"

"So, it is a God after all." Eden said matter-of-factly, while Kouga pondered over the woman's intention. The woman was a cold beauty with rich apparel, but her actions against the Saints and her lament belied her divine identity. Those, however, were the thoughts of a naïve, ignorant boy.

The Goddess of Harvest Demeter was known, if provoked even the slightest, to turn anyone, God or man, into animals as punishment, or fasten heavy boulders against their limbs so that they wouldn't move. She even brought forth a famine to the entire world; she reproached Earth, assailing it in such a way just because her bosom was fragile.

"I was just telling Athena that I did not come to personally cleanse the world like the gods before," Demeter said to the Pope. She paced around freely as she spoke. "Your crimes are vast, as you raised your fists against gods countless times. However, I've always punished the ones who harmed my true love. The agony, in order to stop this agony I feel, I must restore balance to life and death. It is the same as the sun and moon."

"Agony? I don't understand!" Koga interrupted. "What did we do?! What are you going to do?"

The goddess only gave a simple statement: "I am going to restore the Underworld," She said. Those words brought a feeling of dread to Kouga, and he still didn't understand why, especially when the Goddess of Harvest herself was for such a seemingly contrary goal. So much that she had to kill three Silver Saints. According to Shaina, many Saints were being attacked.

"No, I won't let you," muttered a soft voice. A bright Cosmos slowly rippled around Sagittarius Seiya, and then it sprouted into a torrent of flame. His wings stretch out.

"I swear on this Gold Cloth, I won't let you, Demeter!" Seiya straightened his body, and his eyes burned as he looked at the white-haired goddess.

Surprised, Demeter distanced; her blackened Silver Saints bounced back into action, launching towards Seiya. Miguel scrambled on his arms and other working foot to make momentum for his leap.

"Menkar, Bayer, Miguel, I'm sorry. Atomic Thunderbolt!" The golden volley returned, and the result was the same as before. Whale, Hound, and Bootes lie on the ground battered and still. Demeter's eyes widened; perhaps her control wasn't the greatest, but she saw that this time her slaves had expired. They became ash and wafted out from the temple roof.

"I won't let you revive the Underworld! No matter what! If that happens, you will bring darkness upon us all. Not only that, not only that, Athena! Miss Saori!" Enflamed by his power, Seiya's body shook and he slowly advanced on the Goddess of Harvest. He seemed befuddled, but Kouga and everyone else sensed some kind of agony.

"Seiya, please!"

Seiya's movement suddenly seized, and his Cosmos and feelings calmed. He felt _her_ arms against his back.

"That's enough Seiya." Athena's imploring voice was like a melody, characteristic for the goddess who showed great compassion for her Saints.

"Please don't anger her." Even Athena knew of the infamous tales about Demeter, but she didn't have fear.

"Killing your own friends," Demeter breathed; she spoke in a manner as if she felt sorry for a poor soul. The direct insult towards Seiya indicated her restored composure. Athena moved from behind the Sagittarius Saint and gazed at the other goddess.

"Demeter, we traveled to the Underworld to prevent Hades from completing his Greatest Eclipse," Athena said, her tone pleading for understanding. "Even if he shed tears towards what was ugly on Earth, we couldn't allow him to destroy it. An eternal winter would've befallen on all life, the life that you nurture."

Demeter said nothing; Athena was telling the truth.

"You should know well," the Goddess of Justice continued, "that life is the most important gift that humans possess."

Demeter closed her eyes before speaking. "It is the point of the Holy War: Those whose warriors who conquer the other get to choose the fate of the world. It is only divine decree as it happens every several centuries. If life dies, it is reborn under another ruler and nothing more. It is possible that the war with Hades will resume. It is out of consequence for what I plan to do, I'm afraid. I figured that you would want to stop me, so I took extra steps. I can't let you interfere."

"But why? For him?" Athena asked.

"No, for her." With those few words, the Goddess of Harvest crinkeld her brow. "This is what I've decided: To quell my anger for losing my loved one, and to make sure you don't erase the Underworld again, I should destroy your Saints." Demeter then opened her eyes and took steps towards Shaina.

"Particularly her, so that I can get the key."

"Well well, if that's the case, come and bring your goons." The Pope finally spoke up. He strode next to Seiya and Athena. Uncanny for a majestic-looking man was his smile, a wide crooked smile. "You want a Holy War, then you got one! Come at us so we can break your bones!" The Goddess of Harvest stopped and spun around.

"You are wretched!" Demeter snapped, her face flaring. Hearing such disrespect from a figure standing in for Athena was enough to make her skin crawl. She almost wanted to kill him.

"I get that a lot," The Pope's grin was clean underneath his dark visage. "but you know what? Nothing's more wretched then one looking down on others and making them suffer. For killing Whale, Hound, Bootes, and Ophiuchus, I should break your bones lady!"

"You are a true reflection of scum on this planet! I have no idea how a battle-obsessed man like you became Pope. You're so ugly that I want to know this: When you're friends die, will you feel sadness?"

Suddenly, Athena let out a light gasp. She looked up, her face was filled with worry.

"The Cosmos are fluctuating."

"Athena?" Seiya looked with concern.

"Lionet….Cygnus…Dragon…Gemini…something is happening." It was the sign of a goddess sensing that her fellow companions were in danger – enveloped in great pain or tottering on the bridge towards death.

"It begins Athena. Can you bring your Saints together?" Demeter smiled.


	5. Reignite

**Note: **Emma is from Seiya Omega S2.

**Reignited**

Once again, a war sneaked upon peace.

Two divine belligerents. An agricultural goddess, Demeter – her infamous anger, which brought stampedes and mudslides upon many, was no longer witnessed as a myth. She sought to restore the Underworld.

A pure goddess, Athena – her heart seemed to ache, and having faced various enemies in the past, seeing her feel uneasy was nothing out of the ordinary. As her foe welcomed war, where were the rest of her Saints?

"Left, right, left right! Stick with the rhythm, everyone!"

"Keep up with the great Master Ichi!"

The sounds of synchronized training echoed above the school of Saints: Pallestra, a camp endorsed by the Kido Foundation to supply the Sanctuary's martial capacity. Pallestra simulated the Sanctuary, sharing its Greek image. Outside the school there was even the semi-spherical theater where the training was taking place. At first, Pallestra served only as a home for the children who possessed the eighty-eight constellations, but now it combined with the genius of Steel Saint technology.

Lionet Souma stood in a readied stance and launched his fists in steady, left-right jabs. He paused and took a step forward before another jab. "_Yah_! Put weight into that leg! Let's go Emma, Josh, keep going!"

A while after, Souma took a break. Joined by Ichi, he climbed the theater's highest rows of seats. From there, the panoramic view only made him admire his students more.

"_Ha! Ha! Haaa!_" The students' voices boomed above the theater, and Souma and Ichi watch their students being well coordinated in their exercise.

"Hey hey Souma, why do they fight so hard?" Scratching his brow, Ichi also observed the Steel Saints. "It's not like they can burn Cosmos," he added.

"Heheh." Even at such a question, Lionet Souma kept his bright personality. It reflected in his flame-like image. He puffed his chest out and gave his instruction partner a grin. He felt nothing but pride for his students, ignoring their shortcomings as Steel Saints.

"It's like asking why fight in war?" He said. "Faith. They have reasons to protect."

"Yeah yeah," Ichi nodded his head. "I guess."

"It's Emma and a few others who survived the Pallasbeda war. Their hard work inspires others offhand," said Souma. From a higher place, the outlook of the training was ordinary.

Then, there was an explosion and a cloud of dust from the theater. Loud screams followed afterward.

"What the!?" Ichi and Souma immediately rushed down the set of seats towards the commotion. Emma, a blond-haired girl in a red training uniform, stood in front of the other students in a defensive stance. The kids slowly backed away. Emerging from the cloud was a figure shrouded in a black hood and cloak. It raised its arm towards the students, a gesture foretelling danger.

In between the youths and the dark figure was a wave of white – the lash of a long white mane.

"No one harms the students!" One of the teachers made it in time, and swiftly threw a punch at the cloaked figure. "OF THE GREAT ICHI!"

The punch was caught by the cloak's hand. Ichi grunted, then his mouth stretched into a grin showing confidence.

"Heh, this makes it easier. Mellow Poison!" Suddenly, a piece of armor appeared on Ichi's arm. A gauntlet with small openings on the knuckle guards. Sprouting from the holes were spikes, and Ichi could hear the sound of ringing metal. His Hydra Fangs pierced into metal.

Ichi guffawed. "How does it feel? My fangs poison?"

Souma reached the base of the theater, at first observing. The students weren't hurt and he believed that Ichi fully apprehended the enemy. _An intruder that passed Pallestra's barrier_, he wondered. There was a terrible feeling boiling in his gut. That was not possible for a standard intruder. He tried to calm his worries as he watched Ichi.

"The Hydra's bite is a myth." The cloaked figure finally spoke. It was the cool voice of a woman. Suddenly, a bright red wedge flashed in front of the figure, and the air above the theater reverberated with Ichi's scream.

"Master Ichi!" shouted the Steel Saint students. Ichi slowly stumbled back, his mouth gaping open. His ghastly face trembled, even his pale eyes wrinkled as his body underwent some tremendous pain.

"Ichi!" Souma finally lunged, and made up his mind about the intruder's intentions. He exploded with flame, Cosmos covering his entire body. Closing in, he brought back his right fist.

"Lionet BOMBER!" Throwing his entire weight into a punch, Souma struck the figure. A direct hit with a fiery explosion that could easily signify the defeat of the enemy. The smoke cleared, revealing the two Pallestra instructors and the figure-in-cloak. Souma slowly backed away. On his face was the look of utter shock. His attack was useless. The cloak was mostly burnt and tattered from the Lionet attack. It continued to smolder like a cinder, eating away the fabric.

"Your fire is cool, and the Hydra's bite is a myth like I said," the woman voice said. The dark cloak collapsed, the same time as the body of Hydra Ichi. Blood pooled underneath Hydra from a small orifice in his chest.

The once-cloaked figure smiled at the shocked Souma, having more to say. "But, the sting of the Scorpion is more real, and hotter than anything."

"What?!" Souma's voice was without doubt filled with disbelief. His attack didn't work, which wouldn't leave him shaken usually. There had been many cases of his attacks being warded off by a mighty enemy. This was different. The force of shock had hit Souma after his attack, when he noticed the silky strands of hair from under the hood. Long, flowing pink hair. When the cloak was gone, a woman was indeed revealed. She was wrapped in black, sparkling armor.

"What have you done to Master Ichi!?" A voice cried out. It broke Souma out of his daze, and he saw someone fly right past him. One of the students, a boy with black hair.

"Josh! No!" Souma cried.

"Master Ichi, Master Souma, I will show you the fruits of our training!" Josh's face was wrenched with anger and his fist connected with the woman's cuirass. Like the training, or beyond, Josh sped up his left and right jabs, pounding on the armor. He did not pull back.

"You can't become truly strong unless you know how to bear scars." The woman already indicated Josh's weakness. She stood there, unfazed by the blows. Then, in an unseen movement of speed, she stopped the boy. Josh could not fathom what happened. His barrage was suddenly halted by some writing pain in his wrist, and then he looked down, seeing the woman's finger in his chest.

The woman glowered and pulled back his finger, showing an elongated red nail. "Does it hurt? Know your place."

"JOSH!" Souma screamed again, seeing a stream of blood splurting from Josh's body. The student dropped hard on his face.


	6. Reignited Crimson

**Reignited Crimson**

"Lionet Souma. In the name of the mother goddess, I've come for your life." The woman's low voice conveyed the air of a grim reaper. Cool, calculating, a figure creeping behind a life to indiscriminately take it. Piercing eyes as green as the sea, beautiful yet cold and unfriendly. She looked hardened like a warrior. To complement that fearsome appearance, her black armor looked jagged, covering the majority of her body.

Souma said nothing, lowering his head. He couldn't absorb the situation clearly. He looked over to Josh and Ichi's fallen bodies, and the image of the blood that spurted out of Josh repeated in his mind.

"From now and through the afterlife," the woman continued, "you will bear the death of your friends and family, just as I did. This is the price of weakness." The pink haired woman looked down at the boy she had just took out, and then back at Souma.

"Yes, just like _this_ Josh, and just like _your_ father," she said.

"What do you think you're doing," Souma mumbled as he looked down at his toes. His vision blurred due to a tremble going through him. His blood boiled down to his toes.

Then, his body moved impetuously.

"SONIA!" The screaming Souma lunged towards the woman. His arm stretched out, and a funnel of flame sprouted from his fist. A heatwave from Souma's Cosmos circulate the entire theater. The Steel Saint students lift their arms across their faces, their clothes rippling.

"It's Master Souma's Lionet Burning Fire," said Emma. "It's huge!"

"Does Master Souma know her?" asked another student. The Burning Fire was usually a ranged projectile sized as the hand's own diameter, no more or less. However, Souma expanded his Cosmos and the attack, much like a true flame, got bigger and wider. The Burning Fire hit its mark and the target was completely engulfed.

Sonia swayed her arm once and neutralized the flame.

"These flames. I remember them like it was yesterday. These flames of revenge. For some reason, it's not enough." It felt like being chided. It was to be expected from the former Gold Saint who served Mars, and then honored after death. Scorpio Sonia was, by title, the Gold Saint that led through Judgment and Discipline. A big sister with a cool tone, she had this portrayal of one who must give direction. As a Scorpio, following in her descendants' footsteps faithfully, her actions were quite rough when confronting a foe.

"Lionet!" At his call, a flurry of light rays emerged from a distance and hit Souma. In a blink, panels of orange armor attached to his body. A cat like helmet covered his head. Donning his Cloth, he wasted no time to close in. Both Lionet and Scopio stopped each other; they were eye to eye, in a grapple to tranquil their fists.

"It's no mistake! Your Cloth is different, but you really are Sonia. Explain this now! How the hell is it that you're alive?! Why are you attacking us?" Souma spoke with an anger that exceeded his confusion. Indeed, Scorpio Sonia died in battle along with her mental conflicts, but she and Souma had fought many times before in the past. He could not forget her face; when Sonia attacked Ichi and Josh in cold blood, it triggered Souma and suppressed his sentimentality. He tried to wrench his arm away from her grip, his body shaking.

"My pride." Scorpio said with a smile. "A second chance. As a Gold Saint, I fight at the highest faith and duty."

"You're attacking your friends! That's being treacherous!"

"I serve someone who experiences a lot of pain. I am revived to ease that pain because I understand a tender heart. That is what I was told. So, I agreed on my revival, and I kill."

"You're doing this on purpose?!" Souma could not believe that was her true feelings.

"Since we were enemies in the past Lionet Souma, since I killed your father, isn't this easy to do? To turn against you?"

The hair in the back of Souma's neck bristled. "And do you think that I'll forgive you for what you just did?!"

Both Saints jumped back and distanced themselves. A fiery aura surrounded Souma as he flexed his limbs.

"You! Sonia, my friends…" He believed to have put his feelings for Sonia aside, knowing her difficulties, but his past was spurred and he couldn't tell if his Cosmos was reacting to the thought of getting back at her regardless, or to force her to explain her actions. In the back of his mind, he also thought it was meant to be. Would Sonia ever truly be a likable friend? She was a true Gold Saint: Since there were twelve in all, what made the Gold Saints interesting was how they contrasted one another in viewing justice.

"That's right, become angry Souma." Scorpio Sonia lifted her hand at eye level. The nail on her index finger extended, glowing red.

"_Uooooooo_!" Souma crouched and pushed his body weight forward. "LIONET BOMBER!"

The Lionet Saint lunged again, this time as a bullet of flame to ram into Sonia. Scorpio Sonia charged at her foe, her hand raised. Her feet lifted off the ground, and she leaped past the flaming Saint, swiping him. A tilting red thread of light followed her fingernail. Souma saw it with his peripheral.

Suddenly, his body yanked back in mid-air. "_GUH_!"

Sonia's crimson nail sparked, and Souma felt his body being pierced from head to toe. Then, he felt his neck being squeezed. Sonia clenched Souma's throat within her claw-like grip, and swung him into the ground.

Without worries of neglect and hate bounding her heart, in this day and age Scorpio Sonia was a forceful beast.


	7. Leaving the Blue Winter

**Leaving the Blue Winter**

Lionet Souma – A friendly boy once blighted with vengeance. Attacked by a former nemesis, that feeling of rancor returned without a second's thought. Like his battle brothers Kouga and Eden, Souma endured the same despair of seeing friends get brutally hurt.

Scorpio Sonia – Behind her deadly surface hid a tender side that only wanted to be embraced by beloved ones and good memories. Now, with the blot of Mars and his army gone, Sonia put aside her insecurities and fought like a Saint with unbridled Cosmos. She defended a goddess, but it was not Athena?!

The northern lands were known for its biting cold and, shrouded behind hazy mountains and frigid forests, its civil war. A man wearing a long hooded anorak, suitable for the arctic lands set in the far ends of the hemispheres, carried two wooden boxes in his mittens. He sat down on a flat-topped rock and opened the boxes, which revealed two rolled up parchments. One scroll was vellum covered in plastic. The other was ivory with a golden round seal. Furthermore, standing by his leg was a large white box with shoulder straps. The depiction of a long-necked bird was sculpted in each side of the box. Another Pandora Box.

The man would first unfurl the vellum scroll, revealed to be a letter. He would read it first.

"_Hi Hyouga,_

_It's been a while since I wrote to you. I hope that you are doing well. I never thought that training could turn out to be so tough, but the more I did it, the more determined I became. This must be destiny Hyouga, since we've been friends for a long time. I don't know if I'll be of any used to you in the future. I wish I had a master like yours, Hyouga, but I do have very good trainers. And, they look up to you. One day Hyouga, we will rebuild the village. Take care."_

_Sincerely, Jakov."_

The man felt a wind pass by, blowing back his hood, and brushing his long strands of blonde hair over his face. The cool wouldn't bother him; after he took in the letter's contents to heart, he was warmed, and Cygnus Hyouga smiled. He placed the letter back into the box to preserve it, and turned his attention to the next parchment. Upon touching the golden seal to remove it, a surge went up his fingers. He could feel something tangible, sharper then Siberia's cold, prickle the hands behind his mittens.

"Cosmos," he muttered softly, and slid off the seal to open the pristine scroll. Hyouga's eyes widened. The ink was in a cursive smoothed by the tip of a quill, and in golden letters was scribed the word "ordination". In his head, Hyouga read the phrase that stuck out to him the most. At the bottom of the letter read, "_Axios_! _Synkentróno_! Induction to the Golden Round."

The letter was from the new Pope. Hyouga have never met the Sanctuary's new leader, but heard that he carried an aspect similar to the previous one. The Pope that Hyouga rebelled against to save the goddess Athena by ascending the Twelve Temples. However, that was not his current worry.

_If I go to the Temple, I will have to withdraw from Siberia_, thought Hyouga. His face crinkled. He also knew that if he didn't oblige, it would be considered an act of rebellion. Hyouga wanted to focus on a task at hand, something that hit home, and felt was a part of his duty as a soldier of justice. It took a short moment, however, to realize that he could negotiate his intentions to the Sanctuary. He nodded to his thought and lifted from the stone, packing the scroll away. Suddenly, something fell on his shoulder.

"Hyouga?" In a Siberian Winter, a baritone chilled Hyouga. He felt a hand, and turned to see who was behind him. A bright spark entered the corner of his eye. Hyouga, after turning around completely, faced the hard gleam of a man covered in glistering gold. The man's long hair was blue as a sea.

"What?" Hyouga's shock devoid him any conscious of logic and sense. He would not question a thing. "Master?!"

"Indeed Hyoga, I stand before you," the man replied.

"It must be fate," said Hyouga, "or a hint." His master Aquarius Camus, having died twice, stood before him.


	8. To the sea

**Cygnus, to the sea**

"Hyouga, Athena wants to congregate the Twelve Gold Saints once more, or near to that," said Camus. "The Cloth of Aquarius calls you. I know it. Your journey thus far can attest to that."

Cygnus and Aquarius walked side by side together, a sure sign of their mutual respect. As they did, Hyouga quietly mused after his master's words. Under the auspices of Athena or some other God, Hyouga wondered, was a specter sent to him for guidance?

"Indeed, much time has passed," said Camus, "so I came to tell you that your power will bring about justice." Hyouga and Camus reached near a cliff, facing the wide Arctic Ocean stretching past the horizon. It was a mesmerizing view, and it gave Hyouga a sunken feeling in the heart. It was a feeling where he would have to leave something important, again. It was not Cygnus's type to hesitate.

"Two of my old friends joined the Temples and have guided Athena through the last war against Pallas and Saturn diligently. I just wonder why now?" said Hyouga.

Camus closed his eyes and replied, "Why _not_ now?"

"The Cygnus Cloth has yet to find a successor. My friend is training, and if I leave for the Temples, I will leave my mission," said Hyouga. Camus said nothing after his student's words, but it was only for a short moment. He continued to usher Hyouga towards what was right.

"I believe that Athena wants your power. It is probably for a reason closer than we believe," he said.

"Master?" Hyouga looked at Aquarius Camus with stern eyes. "Do you mean a new threat?"

"If it ails you that much, return here after inheriting the Cloth." Camus then opened his eyes and turned to his student. "Do not trouble the Sanctuary over emotions."

Hyouga ceased his thoughts; they were pointless, and he knew that he should've known better. Then, his foot dropped.

"Hyouga!" Camus, seeing his student fall under the cliff rock, which cracked and gave way suddenly, swiftly curved over and grabbed Hyouga's arm.

"Are you all right?" The Gold Saint asked.

"Yes Master. Thank you." After catching a few breaths, Hyouga looked up at Camus and smiled. His feet dangled a far distance above the Arctic Ocean; in other words, he was going to plunge into the deep sea if Camus's grasp slipped.

"Of course Hyouga," Camus smiled back. A rare sight from the Gold Saint, and it was warming. "For a moment there, I got what I wanted."

"Master?" Hyouga squinted, confused.

"I wanted to see it." Camus tightened his grip and pulled up Hyouga right up to his face level. They were eye to eye, and Hyouga widened his eyes. Unlike the warm smile before, which amounted to an affectionate trust between master and student, especially a master known for his apathetic visage and strictness, Aquarius Camus's mouth drew out a wide grin. It was an abnormal sight to see Camus's face broken from calmness.

"I wanted to see…what your face would look like when filled with despair." The words from the Aquarius Saint made Hyouga blank completely that he did not realize he dropped under the edge of the cliff. Camus let go of his hand, and it was the fall's gravity churning Hyouga's stomach that awakened him.

He didn't understand at all.

"Master!" Hyouga's voice cried out in an echo, his body plunging towards the water. He looked up and was further confused. He saw his Master; then, his senses picked up a change in the Cosmos. His Master's Cosmos. A ghostly visual appeared behind Camus, manifesting as an Antikythera dial with gears and two large hands. A clock.

"Master's Cosmos disappeared. Wait, who are you?!" Then, the cold water hit Hyouga.

"Simple. As expected from a weakling like you, Hyouga." said Camus. A hand on the clock apparition behind him shifted, and then Camus changed. Gold strands entered his long hair; his Cloth, morphed from gold to black.

"Now, it's time for your doom as well." Camus, or rather the new man, a blond-haired man, turned from the cliff and walked away.

"Yes, I am coming for you, Haruto."


	9. Favorite Sound

"**What is your favorite sound?"**

According to Shaina, Athena's Saints were being attacked globally, and some didn't return. Their Cosmos truly disappeared. Some, including the remaining Gold Saints, were sent to investigate different strange incidents. Incidents such as little flower demons called "Hellebore", which attach to humans and posses them. Those possessed by Hellebore attack and infect other humans. They can also poison the water supply.

"To use children." Wearing casual clothing and a thin topcoat, Integra was in pursuit of a little boy controlled by a Hellebore. So far, her cool Cosmos managed to extract a few others possessions without putting any harm on the vessels, but the one she was currently chasing was a stubborn one. The demon was potent enough to distance even a Saint. A Gold Saint at that.

Giggling, the boy scampered up a fence, bounding over with inhuman speed before Integra could reach it. Integra's fingers grasped the steel lattice, and she stared at the back of the boy. The child looked over his shoulder, his mouth stretching from cheek to cheek into a grin. Integra gasped. Looking back at her were glowing red eyes; a demonic-looking umbra suddenly replaced the boy's figure. When a Hellebore was in possession for too long, they changed their vessels' bodies into a reddish, near-black color. However, that only happened many days after drinking water and absorbing sunlight. Integra only saw the possession happen today and was truly shocked.

"So lady, what is your favorite sound?" Being controlled by a Hellebore, the boy's voice modulated with an eerie echo. It rang like a tune, teasing the Gold Saint.

"I will not answer such questions. Remove yourself from that child." Even when demanding, Integra kept her tone suppressed from emotion.

"I know mine! I know what I like to hear. It's a favorite with everyone," the smiling boy giggled again and turned his head away from Integra, raising a finger. Integra swiftly pulled her hand away from the fence. Its metal suddenly began to glow, and then it became elastic, stretching over Integra. The Gold Saint, trapped by the energized fence, was lifted into the air. Suddenly, the energy shimmered intensely, surrounding Integra in a violet wave of strands tightening against her entire body. The air roared, and the sky darkened.

"Yeah, that's the sound." The boy closed his eyes and only listened to the commotion above. His grin remained. "Who doesn't like to hear the scream of their younger sibling?"

Gemini Integra could not move. Locked in mid-air, her body was being crushed within a cosmic surge, its power having a depth of purgatory. Against her impulses, she screamed out her pain. The boy spun and looked up, finally. Then, he vanished, and in his place was a young woman.

"Awww." Despite her bright hair and face, her presence was dark due to her black attire. Also, she didn't show any concern for the current situation. Her small, pink lips were in a smile like the boy from before. However, as she looked up at her rat caught in her trap, that confident smirk of a child vanished.

"Integra," Uttering Gemini's name calmly, the woman felt all of her facial muscles stretch. Clenching her jaw, her expression swelled with hostility, and became a demon. Her hair changed to the same color as her armor. Her blood trembled as she stared towards a mortal enemy, speaking its name – that sworn enemy was instilled into a younger sister.

That impish voice of hers changed instantly. "This time I will send you to Hell!" She did not only want to show Hell, but the despairing future of the townspeople possessed by the Hellebore. The Crossroad Mirage caused the illusion, leading the Gold Saint Gemini Integra into a trap.

The Specter's plan was to show Integra that her heroics were worth nothing.


	10. Dragon

"**Dragon peace, cool guy"**

The crossing of time and space relate to some of Athena's strongest Saints, or rather, it was always a certainty that their alliances and aims lie elsewhere. Having a serious expression and a lofty air, Tokisada was obligated to feel that he was better than others. After all, he could control the measures of time, which either flowed like water or was as still as ice. Paradox, under the sign of Gemini, was fated to antagonize Athena, her fellow Saints, and her own sibling. However, like true Saints with strong hearts, if they deeply believed in something, Tokisada and Paradox would see it through.

The stars of destiny now lead towards China: Rozan of The Five Peaks. A mystical region said to contain the passage to Poseidon's temple, and also the tower holding the resting souls of the 108 Specters of the Underworld. The weight of their existence wasn't, however, felt over the rushing sound of the Rozan Waterfall.

Despite the waterfall's roar like a hundred lions, young Dragon Ryuho felt serene. The war against Mars and Saturn, his first real wars against evil Gods, were long past. However, he had long learned that his training will never end. As he continued to pursue being "perfect", he also learned that he could pass on his meditative guidance towards others. It was a suggestion that he made to his father, the Gold Saint Libra Shiryu. Ryuho kept still in his crossed-legged Lotus _asana, _eyes closed; Rozan Waterfall fell behind him.

"Stretch your back. Just breathe." Giving himself a new responsibility other than fighting, Ryuho recognized the benefit of spreading the art of healing. It was thanks to the attachment he had for his friends during his battles as a Saint.

Ryuho was still as a statue; then, his eyes flew open. Something crossed his senses as he looked over at his students. They all sat in a row, mimicking Ryuho's Lotus stance – or were trying to. Some grimaced, their lips quivering as their feet twitched from being crossed over. Sometimes Ryuho couldn't believe that he had the charisma to gather seven students to train with him, ranging from young child to adults. One was an elderly man suffering from hip osteoarthritis; everything started with interest, to trust a stranger.

"Oh!" Ryuho suddenly jumped up from his pose. "It's you!" His sudden exclamation made everyone awaken to see what happened. Ryuho looked elated, and his students turned around to see a figure looming out from behind a small grove of tall firs. Moving closer to the group, his features shined in the sunlight falling above the Waterfall. A man with long, jagged black hair, his eyes were just as dark, and all in all he looked a bit frigid and intimidating. He stuck out like a sore thumb compared to the others, who looked exuberant. He also wore a gray Taichi uniform, similar to Ryuho. Basically, it was a long-sleeved jacket with a wide waist sash and loose pants. He also wore a pair of cotton slippers. Was he one of Ryuho's students?

"I haven't seen you in so long!" Running up to the visitor, Ryuho expressed nothing more than relief and happiness upon the sight of the gloomy looking man.

"Your name, it was 'Baku' something." He tried hard to remember, tilting his head upward and holding his chin. "Shima? Sui? I know that there was a Baku."

"Suikyo." The man said, coolly, in almost a whisper. His face was as rigid as a hardened warrior who's seen many battles.

"Oh!"

"Suikyo Bakushima."

"Yes, that's right." Ryuho said, smiling.

It was first thought that Ryuho was being oblivious to the stern atmosphere of this Suikyo. However, the rest of the students looked back and raised a welcoming cheer. "Welcome back Suikyo!" The stoic Bakushima wasn't a new member; however, he had been missing his training for weeks. He hasn't written back and Ryuho, who grew attached to Suikyo due to his determination, became worried.

"What happened? Where have you been?" After instructing his students to continue their Lotus, Ryuho brought Suikyo over to a more private area. Suikyo didn't say anything at first, his mind thinking over his words carefully. Despite knowing that Suikyo was a bit quiet type, it only made Ryuho more concerned.

"Don't tell me, it's—"

"My brother is fine for now." After his eerie silence, Suikyo managed to smile. "Even when in bed, when he feels up to strength, he tries to meditate. He really wants to come to Rozan."

"Thank goodness." Ryuho sighed with relief. "Please make sure he sleeps and eats, Mister Suikyo." In his heart, even if he didn't mean to, he thought of the worse. Suikyo's brother Suisho was an ailing boy, much like Ryuho once was, but he was often in bed and feverish.

"However…" Suikyo continued.

"What?"

"I'm not sure how to explain this, nor do I understand why it is happening. Ryuho, you and your father are some kind of unique fighters, right? What do you know about demons?"

"Demons?"

"Or do you think they're real?"

"What do you mean, Suikyo?"

"It's hard to say. To be honest, I was afraid."


	11. Departure of Enemy and Friend

"**Departure of an enemy and friend"**

"Athena!"

"Miss Saori?"

Back at the Sanctuary, no one, especially Kouga and Seiya, could ignore the distressing face of Athena. She gazed at the sky as if she was realizing something. The Pope gave out a disgruntled growl; Demeter's lips curved into a smile, her plan now put into motion.

"Now then." The Goddess of Harvest reached out for the fallen Shaina, and her hand stopped. Her fingers trembled from a spasm. Through dilated eyes, she saw the illusion of a viper biting through her skin. It froze her in shock; digging into Demeter's hand like fangs from a threatened animal were fingernails.

"A key huh?" The body of Ophiuchus Shaina shuddered, and despite a rough beating, she let out a light laugh. No one could see the snide smile behind her metal mask. She grasped Demeter's hand tightly.

"Are you truly that interested in me? Surely, you wouldn't go that far. Or maybe you would. So far, you desecrated the dead. If you go along with this, don't think for a second that Athena will stand for it, nor the other Gods."

Shaina would not avert her eyes from the Goddess. Her words, impertinent and true, elicited Demeter's rage clearly. Divine green irises flashed.

"You Saints of Athena keep interfering with me. You will face a pain that'll singe more than being bathed in Phlegethon!" Then, the Goddess withdrew. Her head swung upward, her voice roaring with that fury.

"Pan!" It sounded like nonsense. The word left Shaina confused; before deliberating the meaning, she began to lift her body. There was the sound of metal smashing open again. Shaina quickly froze, and her mask suddenly split apart, revealing her fraught face. Her hair rippled. Cosmos swift as light shafted through her and out her back.

"Miss Shaina!" A panicked Koga dashed towards his mentor, but tiny sparks entered in between him and her, dancing in midair. Kouga held himself in place. From a sharper look, he realized that what was standing in his way was a honeycomb-like barrier made of long, translucent strands.

"A web?" He then posed himself to launch at the barrier. No matter what he was getting through to Shaina. Suddenly, a female shrouded in a mantle appeared behind the web. Her body was covered, but her face delineated her youth. She was more or less younger than Kouga, her large hazel eyes staring at the Pegasus Saint in a bold manner.

"Who are you?" Koga's defiant attitude didn't wane.

"I am the Terrae of Dancing Fibre, Loom Pan. Stay away from mother or else." Her voice was nearly a whisper. She raised her hand, and the Ophiuchus Cloth was abruptly stripped from its owner. The Cloth's pieces were lifted above ground while entwined in strands, and then connected together in its complete form – a plated human coiled with snakes.

In her ordinary cold poise, Demeter strode next to the girl. "I have no patience for any more of your badgering, Pegasus," she said, her voice returning to its calm cadence. Her eyes slid towards the girl. "Come, Pan."

"But Mother, did he try to harm you? I will punish him," said the girl. As she spoke, she didn't look directly at her Goddess. She was focused on Kouga and lifted both hands, tweaking her fingers as if playing an instrument. The Ophiuchus Cloth drifted in another direction. The web in front of Kouga suddenly dispersed, and the threads form a tall wall, erecting above the Bronze Saint and swinging around like cobras. Pan's eyes narrowed, and it signaled a threat. One move and Kouga would get skewered.

"Before long. Come, to Naxos." Demeter's tone was soft and patient, like a mother to a child. There was no other talk. To prevent any more tragedies, and since everyone's intents were transparent, Athena allowed Demeter and the child to leave with the Ophiuchus Cloth. They departed from the Temple with a chariot drawn by winged reptiles.

"Miss Shaina, get up please!" Finally, Kouga was able to embrace his mentor. He lifted Shaina by her upper body, seeing her wounds. There was Miguel's punch that scorched through her chest; the last attack punctured a hole clean through her heart. She trembled; her face showed she was writhing in pain.

"Kouga." Unlike their reunion from moments before, Shaina's voice lacked vitality. Kouga cracked into hysterical whimpers. He could not believe that this suddenly happened.

"Miss Shaina, are you okay?! Please hang in there!"

"Kouga, you and the others, you must stop her. Please. Get the Cloth back before it's too late."

"Why did Demeter want your Cloth, Miss Shaina?"

"There's a secret behind it. It's to prevent breaking a divine rule in order for a God to not upset others Gods. " Even through ragged breathing, Shaina managed a smile. "I guess that's a little pointless isn't it? Gods would go leaps and bounds for what they want. In order for her to use the Cloth, I must die."

Kouga shook his head. "Don't say that!"

Shaina breathing slowed. She felt her consciousness slipping away. Despite that, and the feeling of water hitting her face, she maintained her smile. With her mask broken, it was a beauty to behold. Her face softened; her eyes were closed, but she knew that the Pegasus youth was crying.

"Kouga, you've grown so much. I have much faith in you. Everyone does." She passed a minuscule bit of life into her hand to raise it and touch Kouga's cheek.

"Why?" she continued. "Your Cosmos burn brightly for that purpose. Your destiny is for Athena. Your wings soar for her, and the planet that she loves. For Demeter to harm that for her selfish reasons, isn't it unforgivable? Kouga, please. No matter what, don't forget. In this massive universe, you shine bright for everyone to see."

"Miss Shaina!" Kouga's scream would not have a response in return. Shaina slumped softly; Kouga remained on his knees, holding his mentor.

"Shaina," Athena's melodious voice could not conceal sorrow. "Her Cosmos has disappeared." At those words, her tears flowed. Sagittarius Seiya was shaking. Eden and The Pope stood quietly.

Before Kouga was born as a Saint, while meeting the god Mars for the first time, he remembered his heart beating quickly. He remembered his mentor's words anew and understood them clearly. Now, it was an engraved memory for him to take, to leave the nest once more as his mentor drifted apart from the world eternally.

Her voice. Kouga suddenly remembered.

"_Feel the explosion of the Big Bang within your body! It's the same as the creation of the universe, which is your Cosmo. As a Saint, you must protect Athena. Burn your Cosmos!"_


	12. Race to Naxos

"**Time to stand! Race to Naxos!"**

Demeter was gone, soaring the sky through her carriage. She left the apex of the temple, leaving Athena, The Pope, and their Saints in an overwhelming silence.

Pegasus Kouga was on his knees. He couldn't hear anything, having broken down from mourning. The boy repeatedly asked in his mind what had happened, why did it happen, and was this truly happening. All he could feel was the cold body of his master in his arms.

"It's tough isn't it?" The Pope strode slowly towards Kouga, and then his voice growled.

"Get up, Pegasus!" His hand suddenly gripped the collar of Koga's shirt, and with a rough tug, the two were face to face. "There is little time to mourn, do you understand?"

Kouga only replied with a sniffle. His face were wet with tears, and twisted from the sadness that harbored him. From his voice, The Pope was not distressed from the whole ordeal unlike the youth.

"I guess this is something you really haven't faced before, huh? Hate to break it to you but there's no time for burials and such. If you want to honor your friends then you must prevent the calamity first."

Kouga blinked his eyes at the words. "But…"

"There's no time! Go to Naxos. This is very serious!"

"Wait." Athena walked in, eying the two. She also gazed at Eden, relaying her next words. "This is indeed an emergency. Kouga, Eden, before Naxos, you must reunite with your fellow Saints."

Kouga sniffled again, still trying to comprehend the situation in his mind. When the Pope put him down on his feet, he wiped his face with his arms.

"I will send Safar to Pallestra, and Hermes for Integra. Everyone, even the Gold Saints, will need to reunite. If the worse should happen, then we must be heavily prepared."

The Pope looked at Athena and his voice rode. "Those two greenhorns?!"

"They should know their duties," said Athena. She then looked at Kouga. "Kouga, you and Eden should get Shun and Yuna at the southern village border. Please? Then, gather at the Athens Port." The Goddess's voice both held resolve and a small level of sorrow. She wanted Kouga to restore his spirit; she then looked at Seiya.

"Seiya, we must let Shiryu know. Also, I will send a messenger to Tatsumi and Haruto." The Goddess said. Sagittarius Seiya began to move towards her, the Pope, and Kouga. He didn't give Athena any eye contact; there was not one complying gesture, unbefitting of the Goddess's most ardent guardian.

"Kouga," Seiya whispered and reached out. His hand touched Kouga, and a large flare exploded in between them.

"_Guh_!" Kouga was suddenly propelled backwards from a force. He lost his footing and slid across the marbled ground.

"Seiya!" cried Athena. The Goddess looked at the Gold Saint with concern.

"What was that for?!" Eden sided with Athena, giving Seiya a glare of disapproval. Seiya's entire face looked fierce.

"Are you angry Kouga? Are you sad?" Seiya spoke as he again stomped towards his successor. "Shaina was your master and friend. She was also my friend." The Gold Saint stood over Kouga, who was splayed out on his back, stunned from the energy.

"After what we've been through," Seiya continued, "I never saw you as the type to drag yourself. If you feel the emotions that I've mentioned before, then unleash them. If you felt what you saw was unjust, then it is time for you to stand up."

Kouga was grabbed by Seiya this time, and was lifted back onto his feet.

"I don't want to see you in this sorry state."

Athena let in a small breath. However subtle it was, she now understood the feelings that were resonating from Seiya. Shaina was the one who clashed fists with Seiya many times in the past; in the same amount, maybe more, she stood by his side and helped him. She protected his sister, and would face Gods to make certain of his path to victory. Seiya would be the very one person that Shaina felt feelings for the most. At least, the one living.

Seiya looked back at the Goddess Athena and nodded his head. He made way for the stairs that led into the Pope Chamber. The Pope let out a huff of annoyance and followed. Eden called out to his friend and ran up to him.

"Kouga, come, you heard them. Let's get Yuna and Shun. Athena wants us _together_."

Kouga panted, and curled his hands into fists. He began to shake. He was trying to put thhe pieces together from Seiya's words. "At first, I felt some fear. I didn't want to fight again. Being with all of you, I felt a happiness that I didn't want to lose. That's pretty selfish, isn't it Eden?"

Eden sighed before giving out an answer. "'All'? I think we act and give our lives for what we believe in. Isn't that important?" He turned his back on Kouga and began to head for the stairs. His mind was decided.

"Resolve is strong. I think Seiya was trying to say that you know what to do, and can do."

It wasn't long until Kouga left Athena's Temple and the Sanctuary with Eden, ignited by fury and determination. He didn't want to fight at all, but inside he felt the urgency of the situation. Witnessing the death of Miguel, Bayer, Menkar and Shaina in such swiftness, seeing Demeter's relentless expression after what she had caused, after Seiya's message and Athena's prompt command, Kouga had to move. The southern village was a place where Yuna and Shun dedicated themselves to aid war orphans. It was proposed by Yuna herself, and it helped heal her from a tragic past of losing lost ones. Shun simply agreed as his medical practices were put to good use.

However, they were not expecting some strange company. A pair in dark cloaks. Upon entering, one cloaked man chanted a casual poem. The other raised his arms, and the ground beneath began to rumble and crack open.

"Doom, doom. My precious dove shines perched within the graves of men. Like silver petals in a garden," said the poet.

The other man grunted. "You talk too much. Can I really trust you to do this?"

"Muwah?"

"Death must spread, like a sweet fragrance. Including...your dove's."


End file.
